ARMY OPERATIONS. 



151 



regulations respecting pillaging were observed 

 by the troops, but of necessity many instances 

 occurred where private property, not necessary 

 to sustain life or assist military operations, was 

 appropriated by stragglers. Such occurrences 

 are unavoidable in the unopposed progress of a 

 large army through a well-stocked country. 

 AsVas expected, large numbers of slaves, of 

 both sexes and of all ages, seized the oppor- 

 tunity to gain their freedom, and followed in 

 the wake of the several columns. The able- 

 bodied men did good service as pioneers, team- 

 sters, or laborers, and in many cases the places 

 where horses, cattle, provisions, cotton, or 

 valuables were concealed, were revealed by the 

 colored fugitives. On several occasions this 

 class of followers became so numerous as to 

 impede the movements of the army and the 

 trains. Many dropped off from time to time 

 exhausted by the march ; but from eight to ten 

 thousand succeeded in reaching Savannah. 

 Cotton was of course invariably burned where- 

 ever discovered, and the loss is estimated at 

 15,000 bales. The most remarkable feature of 

 the campaign was the trifling opposition which 

 the enemy opposed to the expeditionary army, 

 and the ease with which every attack was re- 

 pelled. In every engagement, down to the 

 smallest skirmish, the Federal troops, having 

 an absolute faith in their leader which made 

 them equal to any task he might impose, 

 showed their superiority. The cavalry ad- 

 vance, supported occasionally by a division or 

 two of infantry, and frequently engaging supe- 

 rior numbers, was found adequate for any 

 thing which the enemy could oppose to them. 

 Full half the loss sustained by Gen. Sherman 

 was of stragglers and plunderers, surprised and 

 captured by the enemy while out of the direct 

 line of march. 



Upon the surrender of Savannah, Gen. Geary 

 was appointed military commander. The city 

 was found uninjured, the Federal cannon hav- 

 ing never opened upon it, and was crowded 

 with refugees from the interior, many of whom 

 were without the means of procuring food. 

 Measures were adopted for supplying the wants 

 of these persons, and stringent orders issued by 

 Gen. Geary for the protection of peaceful 

 citizens and their property against outrages by 

 soldiers. The cotton was, however, appro- 

 priated by the United States Government, with 

 the design of shipping it to the Xorth for sale. 

 The following order was issued by Gen. Sher- 

 man for the government of the city : 



HEAIMjrABTEBS MrLTTAET DIVISION" OF TEE MlS- I 



BissiPPi. is THE FIELD. SAVAXXAH, GA,, Dec. 26th, 1864 ( 

 Special Field .Orders 3o. 143. 



The city of Savannah and surrounding country 

 will be held as a military pest and adapted to future 

 military uses ; but as it contains a population of some 

 20,000 people, who must be provided for, and as 

 other citizens may come, it is proper to lay down 

 certain general principles, that all within its military 

 jurisdiction may understand their relative duties and 

 obligations. 



I. During war, the military is superior to civil 

 authority, and where interests clash the civil m~m 



give way ; yet where there is no conflict, every en- 

 couragement should be given to well-disposed and 

 peaceable inhabitants to resume their usual pursuits. 

 Families should be disturbed as little as possible in 

 their residences, and tradesmen allowed me free usu 

 of their shops, tools, Ac. Churches, schools, all 

 places of amusement and recreation, should be en- 

 couraged, and streets and roads made perfectly safe 

 to persons in their usual pursuits. Passes should 

 not be exacted within the line of outer pickets, but 

 if any person shall abuse these privileges by com- 

 municating with the enemy, or doing any act of 

 hostility to the Government of the United States, he 

 or she will be punished with the utmost rigor of the 

 law. Commerce with the outer world will be resumed 

 to an extent commensurate with the wants of ths 

 citizens, governed by the restrictions and rules of 

 the Treasury Department. 



II. The Chief Quartermaster and Commissary of 

 the army may give suitable employment to the 

 people, white and black, or transport them to such 

 points as they choose, where employment may be 

 had, and may extend temporary relief, in the way of 

 provisions a'nd vacant houses, to the worthy and 

 needy, until such time as they can help themselves. 

 They will select, first, the buifdings for the necessary 

 uses of the annv ; next, a sufficient number of stores 

 to be turned over to the Treasury Agent for trade 

 stores. All vacant storehouses or dwellings, and all 

 buildings' belonging to absent rebels, will be con- 

 strued and used as belonging to the United States, 

 until such times as their titles can be settled by the 

 courts of the United States. 



III. The Mayor and City Council of Savannah will 

 continue and exercise their functions as such, and 

 will, in concert with the commanding officer of the 

 post and Chief Quartermaster, see that the fire com- 

 panies are kept in organization, the streets cleaned 

 and lighted, and keep up a good understanding be- 

 tween'the citizens and soldiers. They will ascertain 

 and report to the Chief C. S., as soon as possible, 

 the names and number of worthy families that need 

 assistance and support. 



The Mayor will forthwith give public notice tbak 

 the time has come when all must choose their course, 

 viz. : to remain within our lines and conduct them- 

 selves as good citizens, or depart in peace. He will 

 ascertain the names of all who choose to leave Savan- 

 nah, and report their names and residence to the 

 Chief Quartermaster, that measures may be taken to 

 transport them beyond the lines. 



IV. Not more than two newspapers will be pub- 

 lished in Savannah, and their editors and proprietors 

 will be held to the strictest accountability, and will 

 be punished severely in person and property for any 

 libelous publication, mischievous matter, premature 

 news, exaggerated statements, or any comments 

 whatever upon the acts of the constituted authorities ; 

 they will be held accountable even for such articles 

 though copied from other papers. 



By order of Maj.-Gen. ~\V. T. SHERMAN. 

 L. M. DAYTOX, Aide-de-Camp. 



In marked contrast with the inhabitants of 

 other Confederate cities captured during the 

 war, the population of Savannah showed a de- 

 sire to conform their conduct to circumstances, 

 and refrained from open insults or efforts to vex 

 or harass their captors. It does not appear 

 that a bale of cotton, or indeed any thing of 

 positive value, was destroyed by the citizens to 

 prevent its falling into the hands of the Federal 

 troops. A latent Union feeling was even de- 

 veloped, and at a meeting of influential citizens 

 convened on the 28th, in pursuance of a call 

 from Mayor Arnold, to take into consideration 

 "matters relating to the present and future 



